(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic mail processing system and electronic mail processing method.
(2) Related Arts
Data communication called "electronic mail" in which a store and forward system is adopted is widely made through various networks such as local area networks and private communication networks.
An electronic mail system is generally composed of a host processor undertaking the management of electronic mailboxes and a plurality of computer systems with the function of transmitting and receiving mails. A mail, which is one unit of transmitted data, consists of an envelop part containing control information such as a user's address and postal indications; and a content part containing optional information which is the main information of transmitted data.
Control information in the envelop part is used when the host processor performs mail transfer processing and the format (the arrangement of data) of the envelop part is fixed in the system.
Optional information in the content part is classified into message information such as messages to be conveyed from one end user to another and data information such as programs and numerical data. Usually, when data information is transmitted, message information is also transmitted as a "transmission notice" and in such a case, the content part consists of one or a plurality of heading files corresponding to the message information and one or a plurality of data files corresponding to the data information. In this case, each of the data files is incorporated in a mail, being attached to the heading file, and the data file is, therefore, called "attachment file".
In a known electronic mail system, a computer system (hereinafter referred to as "receiving terminal") which receives a mail from a host processor stores a mail in a receiving folder (storage area) irrespective of the contents of the mail.
The operator for the receiving terminal (a user operating the receiving terminal) looks at a list of mails stored in the receiving folder at a convenient time and accesses a desired mail to see its contents. If there is an attachment file, the operator instructs "folder changing", i.e., transferring of an attachment file from the receiving folder (shared folder) to a dedicated folder. At that time, the operator identifies the file attribute of the attachment file from message information (e.g., a file name or addressee's name) and specifies a dedicated folder suited for the identified file attribute.
In such a system, the classification of file attributes is at the discretion of the operator and the operator can preliminarily create dedicated folders in consideration of the working situation of the system. For example, if the file is created by using applications software which allows the user to create attachment files, the file will be transferred to a dedicated folder for word-processing software and if the file is created by using worksheet software, it will be transferred to a dedicated folder for worksheet software.
When a plurality of users operate receiving terminals, for example, in an office, a dedicated folder is provided for every hierarchically classified item, that is, each user has his own dedicated folders.
Since attachment files are thus sorted by the use of the dedicated files, when the operator carries out, later on, a specific type of work such as word-processing, invoicing or accounting using particular applications software, the attachment files can be easily accessed by the applications software and therefore the operational efficiency of the system increases. Even if there are a plurality of users, each user can readily access his attachment file.
Such an electronic mail system makes it more convenient to use information received in the form of attachment files.
Such a conventional system, however, presents the disadvantage that sorting of attachment files is not executed until the operator's instruction is released and the operator has to take the burden of doing many works at the time of sorting, such as accessing a mail, confirming message information, identifying the attribute of each attachment file, selecting a dedicated folder for each attachment file and instructing a transfer of an attachment file to the dedicated file which has been selected.